Seat Belt Auxiliary Device

ABSTRACT

A seat belt auxiliary device used for a seat belt that is installed by coupling together a buckle ( 3, 19 ) and a tongue ( 2, 17 ) inserted into the buckle. The seat belt auxiliary device has a first belt ( 11 ), a first fixation member ( 8, 18 ) attached to one end of the first belt and having a first through-hole ( 8   a   , 18   a ), and a first fastening member ( 11   d ) attached to the other end of the first belt. The tongue has a tongue insert piece ( 2   b   , 17   b ) inserted into the buckle and coupled to the buckle. The first fixation member, the tongue, and the buckle are joined, with the tongue insert piece that passed the first through-hole inserted in the buckle. The seat belt auxiliary device can be used without modifying an existing seat belt and can be easily attached to and detached from the seat belt.

The present invention relates to a seat belt auxiliary device used for aseat belt that is installed in a vehicle such as an automobile,airplane, boat, and the like.

A seat belt auxiliary device for carrying a child safely in a vehicle isknown.

A conventional safety belt for a child is disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication H9-277902. This safety belt for a child comprises a loopthrough which a seat belt passes or a fixation member through which aseat belt can pass that is provided on a belt for holding the child.

A prior multi-function child seat is disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication 2003-250670. This multi-function child seat provides a highlevel of safety as a child seat. Also, the central feature of thismulti-function child seat is to obtain economical and material savingsby using for a long period of time from newborn to childhood and formany purposes.

A prior seat belt auxiliary device is disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication H11-147448. This seat belt auxiliary device comprises aT-shaped upper piece and an inverted T-shaped lower piece that arerespectively provided on the upper end and lower end of a center piece,and comprises a folded piece that is folded downward from the tipperpart of the upper piece. Also, this seat belt auxiliary device comprisesa cover.

A prior seat belt for an infant is disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication H7-44711. This seat belt for an infant is for maintainingthe safety of an infant when riding in an automobile by holding aninfant who does not like using a baby seat. This seat belt for an infantcomprises a part that holds the infant and a belt that connects the partto a seat belt.

A prior safety protective suit for a child is disclosed in JapanesePatent Application 2002-363807. This safety protective suit for a childcomprises: a waist section that has a cut slit in the back through whicha seat belt passes; a crotch belt that is attached to the waist section;and a fastener for attaching a belt for carrying a child in the front oron the back.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a seat belt auxiliarydevice that can be easily attached/detached to/from an existing seatbelt without having to modify the seat belt.

The reference numbers used in the explanations of the preferredembodiments of the present invention below will be used to explain themethod for solving the aforementioned problems. These reference numbersare added in order to clarify the correlation between the claims and thepreferred embodiments. However, these numbers will not be used in theinterpretation of the technical scope of the present invention that isgiven in the claims.

The seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention is a seat beltauxiliary device for a seat belt that is installed by connecting abuckle (3, 19) and a tongue (2, 17) inserted into the buckle.

The seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention comprises: afirst belt (11); a first fixation member (8, 18) that is attached to oneend of the first belt and that has a first through-hole (8 a, 18 a); anda first fastening member (11 d) that is attached to the other end of thefirst belt. Here, the tongue comprises a tongue insert piece (2 b, 17 b)that is inserted into the buckle and connected to the buckle. When thetongue insert piece passed through the first through-hole is inserted inthe buckle, the first fixation member, the tongue, and the buckle areconnected together. A seat belt auxiliary device of the presentinvention can be easily attached/detached to/from an existing seat beltwithout having to modify the seat belt.

Also, the seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention cancomprise a body restraining fixture (4) that is attached to a child.Here, the first fastening member can be attached to the body restrainingfixture. The body restraining fixture comprises: an outer pouch bottomsurface section (4 f), and outer pouch side surface sections (4 g) thatare attached on both sides of the outer pouch bottom surface section andthat have holes (4 d) through which the child's arms are passed. Theouter pouch bottom surface section comprises a hard plate (5) and acushion (6) that is a member for improving to fit comfortably. By usingthe seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention, the child isheld in a suitable posture.

Moreover, in the seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention,the body restraining fixture can also comprise: two shoulder restrainingbelts (7 a) having shoulder restraining belt insert pieces (7 d) on thefree ends, and a waist restraining belt (7 b) having locking mechanisms(7 c) to connect to the shoulder restraining belt insert pieces withattachable/detachable on the free ends. By using the seat belt auxiliarydevice of the present invention, the child is securely restrained.

Furthermore, the seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention canalso comprise: a second belt (11); a second fixation member (9) that isattached to one end of the second belt; and a second fastening member(11 d) that is attached to the other end of the second belt. Here, thesecond fixation member comprises: a flat plate member (9 a) in which aslit shaped second through-hole (9 d) is formed, and a fastening piece(10) that is connected to the flat plate and that is longer than theopening length of the opening section of the second through-hole. Thesecond fastening member can be attached to the body restraining fixture.The seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention can restrain achild at two different positions on a seat belt.

The present invention provides a seat belt auxiliary device that can beeasily attached/detached to/from an existing seat belt without having tomodify the seat belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat belt auxiliary device in afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the state of using the seat belt auxiliarydevice in a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the state in the use of the seat belt auxiliarydevice in a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are drawings showing a body restraining fixture, whereFIG. 4A is a top view of the body restraining fixture, and FIG. 4B is aside view of the body restraining fixture.

FIGS. 5A to 5D are drawings for explaining the method for using the bodyrestraining fixture, where FIG. 5A shows the state in which the bodyrestraining fixture is open. FIG. 5B shows the state in which a child isplaced in the body restraining fixture, FIG. 5C shows the state in whichshoulder restraining belts are connected to a waist restraining belt,and FIG. 5D shows the state in which the body restraining fixture isclosed.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are drawings for explaining the outer pouch of the bodyrestraining fixture, where FIG. 6A shows the front of the outer pouch,and FIG. 6B shows the rear of the outer pouch.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are drawings for explaining the back plate of the bodyrestraining fixture, where FIG. 7A shows the front of the back plate,and FIG. 7B shows the rear of the back plate.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are drawings for explaining the cushion of the bodyrestraining fixture, where FIG. 8A shows the front of the cushion, andFIG. 8B shows the rear of the cushion.

FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining the body restraining belts of thebody restraining fixture.

FIG. 10 is a perspective drawing that shows a restraining belt.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the cross section a-a′ of thefixture of the restraining belt shown in FIG. 10.

FIGS. 12A to 12C are drawings for explaining the method for using arestraining belt, where FIG. 12A shows the state before inserting thetongue insert piece through the fixture, FIG. 12B shows the state inwhich the tongue insert piece has been inserted through the fixture, andFIG. 12C shows the state in which the tongue insert piece has beeninserted into the buckle.

FIG. 13 is a perspective drawing of an auxiliary restraining belt.

FIGS. 14A to 14D are drawings for explaining the method of using theauxiliary restraining belt, where FIG. 14A shows the state in which theseat belt is folded, FIG. 14B shows the state in which the foldedsection of the seat belt is passed through the flat plate, FIG. 14Cshows the state in which the fixture is inserted into the loop of theseat belt, and FIG. 14D shows the state in which the seat belt is pulledand the flat plate is secured the seat belt.

FIG. 15 is a perspective drawing showing the seat belt auxiliary devicein a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 16A to 16C are drawings for explaining the method for using theseat belt auxiliary device in a second embodiment, where FIG. 16A showsthe state before inserting the tongue insert piece through the fixture,FIG. 16B shows the state in which the tongue insert piece is insertedthrough the fixture, and FIG. 16C shows the state in which the tongueinsert piece is inserted into the buckle.

FIG. 17 is a perspective drawing of a second auxiliary restraining belt.

FIG. 18 shows the state in which the second auxiliary restraining beltis installed in the seat belt auxiliary device shown in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 19A and 19B show an internal member for size adjustment that isattached to the external member receiving section of the fixture, whereFIG. 19A shows the state in which the internal member is attached to theexternal member receiving section, and FIG. 19B shows the state in whichthe internal member is removed from the external member receivingsection.

FIG. 20 shows the state in which the restraining belt of the presentinvention is installed together with a normal 2-point type seat belt.

FIG. 21 shows the state in which the seat belt auxiliary device in afirst embodiment of the present invention is used for a child alone.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention will bedescribed based on the supplied drawings.

Embodiment 1

A first embodiment of the present invention will be explained using FIG.1 to FIG. 14. The seat belt auxiliary device in the first embodiment ofthe present invention is used with a normal 2-point seat belt or 3-pointseat belt.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the seat belt auxiliary device comprises abody restraining fixture 4, a restraining belt 11 a, and an auxiliaryrestraining belt 11 b. The body restraining fixture 4 is capable ofrestraining at least from head to waist of the body of a child 15. Therestraining belt 11 a can be attached/detached to/from the bodyretraining fixture 4 on one end, and a fixation member 8 is provided onthe other end. The insert tongue 2 and the receiving buckle 3 comprisingthe attachment/detachment mechanism of the seat belt 1 fit together withthe fixation member 8 that is provided in between. The fixation member 8does not interfere with the operation and function of theattachment/detachment mechanism of the seat belt 1, so it can beattached/detached to/from the tongue 2 and buckle 3 and securely fittogether. The auxiliary restraining belt 11 b can be attached/detachedto/from the body restraining fixture 4 on one end, and a fixation member9 that connects the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b to the seat belt 1is provided on the other end.

As shown in FIG. 1, a tongue 2 is installed on the seat belt 1. The seatbelt 1 has a seat belt waist section 1a on the lower side of the tongue2 and a seat belt chest section 1 b on the upper side of the tongue 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the seat belt waist section 1 a is the section thatcomes in contact with the stomach area of the crewmember or passenger 14wearing the seat belt 1. The seat belt chest section 1 b is the sectionthat comes in contact with the chest area of the crewmember or passenger14 wearing the seat belt 1. The crewmember or passenger 14 is a personaccompanying a child 15.

(A) As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the body restraining fixture 4comprises: an outer pouch 4 a for wrapping around and holding the bodyof a child 15; a plurality of installation fixtures 4 e for connectingthe restraining belt 11 a and the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b; aback plate 5 for restraining at least from head to waist of the child'sbody; a cushion 6; and a body restraining belt 7 for restraining thebody of the child.

(B) As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the outer pouch 4 a comprises: anouter pouch bottom surface section 4 f; outer pouch side surfacesections 4 g that are provided on both sides of the outer pouch bottomsurface section 4 f; and a plurality of installation fixtures 4 e. Thelength of the outer pouch bottom surface section 4 f is at least longerthan the length from head to waist of the child 15 when the child 15 isin a laving position on top of the outer pouch bottom surface section 4f. The outer pouch bottom surface section 4 f and the outer pouch sidesurface sections 4 g can freely fold at folding sections 4 h. The outerpouch bottom surface section 4 g is pouch shaped with a slide-typefastener 4 j. The back plate 5 is inserted into the pouch from theopening section 5 f that is formed by opening the slide-type fastener 4j, and the back plate 5 is secured to the outer pouch bottom surfacesection 4 f by closing the slide-type fastener 4 j. Fastening holes 4 ifor exposing female fasteners 5 a that are provided on the back plate 5are formed in the four corners of the surface of the pouch shaped outerpouch bottom surface section 4 f. On the top surface of the outer pouchbottom surface section 4 f, a plurality of rows of two shoulderrestraining belt holes 4 b arranged side by side horizontally areprovided at a little above the center, and a plurality of rows of waistrestraining belt holes 4 c with one open are provided at below thecenter. On the rear surface of the outer pouch bottom surface section 4f, shoulder restraining belt holes 4 b and waist restraining belt holes4 c are provided in the same manners as on the top surface, and theseform continuous holes with the respective shoulder restraining beltholes 4 b and waist restraining belt holes 4 c on the top surface.

Holes 4 d are provided in left and right symmetric patterns for passingthe child's arms through in the outer pouch side surface sections 4 g onboth sides of the outer pouch 4 a. The outer pouch side surface sections4 g fold at the folding sections 4 h that are provided on both sides ofthe outer pouch bottom surface section 4 f for wrapping around thechild. A plurality of installation fixtures 4 e are provided forconnecting the restraining belt 11 a and the auxiliary restraining belt11 b, etc. on the edge sections and side surface of the outer pouch sidesurface sections 4 g. In addition, providing opening/closing fixturessuch as fasteners on the edge sections of the outer pouch side surfacesections 4 g, it is also possible to freely open/close on the edgesections. A preferred material for the outer pouch 4 a is a lightweighthaving about the same strength as the seat belt and breathable cloth.

The outer pouch side surface sections 4 g provided on both sides of theouter pouch bottom surface section 4 f are closed along the edgesections of the outer pouch side surface sections 4 g on which theinstallation fixtures 4 e are provided. Also, the installation fixtures4 e are provided near the folding sections 4 h on the outside surface ofthe outer pouch side surface sections 4 g.

(C) As shown in FIG. 7, the back plate 5 is made of a lightweight andexcellent strength hard material, and female fasteners 5 a are providedin the four corners of the top surface 5 d of the back plate forfastening the cushion. On the back plate 5, a plurality of rows of twoback plate shoulder restraining belt holes 5 b arranged side by sidehorizontally are provided at a little above center, and a plurality ofrows of back plate waist restraining belt holes 5 c with one open areprovided at below the center, that correspond to the shoulderrestraining belt holes 4 b and the waist restraining belt holes 4 cinstalled in the outer pouch bottom surface section 4 f.

The body restraining fixture 4 comprises a back plate 5 made of a hardmaterial, so the child is held in a suitable posture.

The back plate shoulder restraining belt holes 5 b and the back platewaist restraining belt holes 5 c penetrate through the back plate 5 fromthe top surface 5 d of the back plate to the rear surface 5 e of theback plate.

(D) As shove in FIG. 8, the cushion 6 comprises a head protectionsection 6 d in the head section of the top cushion surface 6 e. Thecushion 6 functions to alleviate the impact to the body of a child in acollision and to increase the riding comfort for the child. The cushion6 has a shape of covering the back surface section of the bodyrestraining fixture 4. When the outer pouch 4 a, the back plate 5, andthe cushion 6 are fastened with allowing the attachment/detachment, theback plate 5 is inserted into the outer pouch bottom surface section 4f, the cushion 6 is placed on top of the outer pouch bottom surfacesection 4 f, and male fasteners 6 a provided on the rear cushion surface6 f are connected to the female fasteners 5 a provided on the back plate5.

On the cushion 6, a plurality of rows of two cushion shoulderrestraining belt holes 6 b arranged side by side horizontally areprovided at a little above center, and a plurality of rows of cushionwaist restraining belt holes 6 c with one open are provided at below thecenter, that correspond to the shoulder restraining belt holes 4 b andthe waist restraining belt holes 4 c installed in the outer pouch bottomsurface section 4 f.

(E) As shown in FIG. 9, the body restraining belt 7 is a Y-shaped beltfor securing the child to the body restraining fixture 4, and comprisestwo shoulder restraining belts 7 a and a waist restraining belt 7 b. Thetwo shoulder restraining belts 7 a are respectively inserted through twoholes selected from the shoulder restraining belt holes 4 b that areprovided in the outer pouch rear surface 4 k for fitting the shape ofthe child's body, and they penetrate through the back plate shoulderrestraining belt holes 5 b in the back plate 5 mounted on the outerpouch bottom surface section 4 f and cushion shoulder restraining beltholes 6 b. Similarly, the waist restraining belt 7 b is inserted throughone of the holes selected from the waist restraining belt holes 4 c thatare provided in the rear outer pouch surface 4 k for fitting the child,and it penetrate through the back plate waist restraining belt hole 5 caligned with this hole and the cushion waist restraining belt hole 6 c.On the tip end of the two shoulder restraining belts 7 a, insert pieces7 d are respectively provided. On the tip end of the waist restrainingbelt 7 b, a locking mechanism 7 c is provided as a receiving fixture forreceiving the insert pieces 7 d. The locking mechanism 7 c fastens thetwo insert pieces 7 d that are inserted into the locking mechanism 7 c,and the insert pieces 7 d are released when the section on which “PUSH”is pressed. On the body restraining belt 7, an adjustment fixture 7 e isprovided for adjusting the length.

As shown in FIG. 5, on the body restraining belts 7, shoulder cushions 7f are attached in the sections of the shoulder restraining belts 7 athat are contacted with the shoulders of the child 15, and a waistcushion 7 g is attached in the section of the waist restraining belt 7 bbetween the thighs of the child 15. As shown in FIG. 9, mutuallyengageable surface fasteners 7 h and surface fasteners 7 i are connectedto the shoulder cushions 7 f and a waist cushion 7 g. The shouldercushions 7 f and the waist cushion 7 g can be attached/detached andadjusted to a desired position.

(F) As shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, a fixation member 8 isattached so that it can be attached/detached in theattachment/detachment mechanism of the seat belt installed in a vehicle,and is the part that fastens the restraining belt 11 a to the seat belt1. The fixation member 8 is attached between the tongue 2 and buckle 3comprising the attachment/detachment mechanism of the seat belt. Thefixation member 8 does not interfere with the function of theattachment/detachment mechanism. The fixation member 8 is box shapedwith the top surface open, and a slit-shaped through-hole 8 a isprovided in the bottom surface.

The tongue insert piece 2 b is inserted into the fixation member 8 fromthe top surface of the fixation member 8. When doing this, the tonguegrip section 2 a is stopped by the tongue receiving section 8 b, andonly the tongue insert piece 2 b penetrate through the through-hole 8 athat is attached in the bottom surface of the fixation member 8. Also,the tongue insert piece 2 b is inserted into the receiving hole 3 b thatis attached in the buckle 3 of the seat belt 1, and it is connected tothe buckle 3.

Another example of the fixation member 8 is shown in FIG. 19. Thefixation member 8 comprises an outer member 21 and an inner member 22.An outer member receiving section 21 b is formed in the outer member 21,and an outer member through-hole 21 a is attached in the bottom surfaceof the outer member receiving section 21 b. An inner member receivingsection 22 b is formed in the inner member 22 that can fits in the outermember receiving section 21 b, and an inner member through-hole 22 a isattached in the bottom surface of the inner member receiving section 22b. The inner member receiving section 22 b corresponds to the tonguereceiving section 8 b. The inner member through-hole 22 a and outermember through-hole 21 a correspond to the through-hole 8 a.

As shown in FIG. 19, the fixation member 8 can also comprise anexchangeable inner member 22 that fits in the outer member receivingsection 21 b so that it is possible to use seat belts in variousspecifications. By exchanging this inner member 22, the fixation member8 can be used with various sizes of tongues 2 in an automobile,airplane, boat and the like.

(G) As shown in FIG. 10, the restraining belt 11 a comprises thefixation member 8 on the tip end of the belt 11, and the fasteningmember 11 d such as a hook on the other end. In the restraining belt 11a, the belt 11 is inserted through the belt installation section 8 cprovided on the fixation member 8 and is folded back, and the tip end ofthe folded section of the belt 11 is fastened by a length adjustmentfixture 11 e. The length of the restraining belt 11 a is adjustable.

The belt 11 of the restraining belt 11 a is inserted through the beltthrough-hole provided in the fastening member 11 d and is folded back,and then is sewn at a seam 11 f.

(H) As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, a fixation member 9 connects to theauxiliary restraining belt 11 b and seat belt 1, and is the part thatfastens the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b to the seat belt 1. Thefixation member 9 comprises: a flat plate member 9 a having athrough-hole 9 d in the center through which the seat belt 1 passes anda belt attachment hole 9 f; and a pin shaped fastening piece 10 that isconnected to the flat plate member 9 a by a strap 9 b. The fasteningpiece 10 has a grip section 10 a and an insert pin 10 b that is longerthan the opening length of the through-hole 9 d through which the seatbelt passes. In order to fasten the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b tothe seat belt 1 with the fixation member 9, the seat belt 1 is folded toform a loop, the loop is passed through the seat belt through-hole 9 dthat is provided in the flat plate member 9 a, and the fastening piece10 is inserted into the loop 9 e that has passed through thethrough-hole 9 d, then the seat belt 1 is pulled so as to eliminate theloop. By forming an uneven section 9 c along the seat belt through-hole9 d of the flat plate member 9 a and by forming an uneven surface 10 con the insert pin 10 b of the fastening piece 10, the auxiliaryrestraining belt 11 b is securely fastened to the seat belt 1.

(I) As shown in FIG. 13, the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b has thefixation member 9 on the tip end of the belt 11 and a fastening member11 d on the other end.

The length of the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b is adjustable by thelength adjustment fixture 11 e.

(J) As shown in FIG. 17, a second auxiliary restraining belt 11 ccomprises a belt 11 and fastening member 11 d on both ends of the belt11. The second auxiliary restraining belt 11 c can be connected to thebody restraining fixture 4 on one end and to a structure inside thevehicle on the other end. In order to increase the effect of the childrestraining fixture 4, a plurality of second auxiliary restraining belts11 c can be used together.

The length of the second auxiliary restraining belt 11 c is adjustableby a length adjustment fixture 11 e. The belt 11 is inserted through abelt through-hole that is provided in the fastening member 11 d and isfolded back, and then is sewn at the seam 11 f.

(K) The fixation member 8 and the fixation member 9 are not only usedwith the child restraining fixture 4, as shown in FIG. 20, they can alsobe used in a seat belt auxiliary device for an adult passenger orcrewmember.

When using the seat belt auxiliary device in the first embodiment of thepresent invention, the installation fixture 4 e of the body restrainingfixture 4 is attached so that it can be attached/detached therestraining belt 11 a and auxiliary restraining belt 11 b by thefastening member 11 d.

As shown in FIG. 12, the fixation member 8 that is provided on the otherend of the restraining belt 11 a is used between the tongue 2 that isthe insert section of the attachment/detachment mechanism of the seatbelt 1 and the buckle 3 that is the receiving section. As describedabove in section (F), the tongue insert piece 2 b is inserted into thefixation member 8 from the opening surface of the fixation member 8.When doing this, the tongue grip section 2 a is stopped by the tonguereceiving section 8 b so that only the tongue insert piece 2 bpenetrates through the through-hole 8 a provided in the bottom surfaceof the fixation member 8. Also, the tongue insert piece 2 b is insertedinto the tongue insert receiving hole 3 b that is provided in the buckle3 of the seat belt, and is connected to the buckle 3.

As described above in section (H), the fixation member 9 that isprovided on the other end of the auxiliary restraining belt 11 bcomprises a hole 9 d. A loop that is formed by the seat belt 1 withfolding passed through this hole 9 d, and the fastening piece 10 isinserted into the loop 9 e that has passed through the hole 9 d. Whendoing this, only the part of the insert pin 10 b can be inserted intothe loop. Here, the insert pin 10 b is held so that it is parallel withthe lengthwise direction of the opening section of the slit shaped hole9 d in the flat plate member 9 a, and by pulling the seat belt 1 toeliminate the loop, and then the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b andseat belt are fastened.

Although a position that the fixation member 9 is attached can be at anyposition on the seat belt 1, in a preferred embodiment as shown in FIG.3, when the position is above the seat belt waist section 1 a on theopposite side of the fixation member 8 to the waist of the adult 14, thechild is held easily with balance.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG, the body restraining fixture 4 contacts withthe stomach area of the crewmember or passenger 14 who holds the childas close as possible. The restraining belt 11 a and the auxiliaryrestraining belt 11 b with uniform lengths are attached to the seat beltwith taking into consideration the best means of balancing. Furthermore,the body restraining fixture 4 is used with the child being held by botharms. The length of the belt is adjusted by the length adjustmentfixture 11 e to correspond to the size of the child 15 or the physiqueof the crewmember or passenger 14 who holds the child 15.

There are methods for using the body restraining fixture 4 that a methodof using it with the child laying in a horizontal position, a method ofholding the child in an upright position facing the adult, or a methodof holding the child in an upright position so that the child faces inthe same direction as the crewmember or passenger holding the child,however, the method of using it with the child laying in a horizontalposition is recommended.

As shown in FIG. 21, in the case of fastening a child alone to a seatbelt 1, such as when a plurality of children are riding in a vehicle,the restraining belt 11 a and auxiliary restraining belt 11 b are usedto fasten the body restraining fixture 4 to the seat 12, andfurthermore, it is recommended that a second auxiliary restraining belt11 c is used together to fasten to the headrest support bar 12 b thatsupports the seat headrest 12 a and to a handle 13 as shown in FIG. 3,etc. Here, the second auxiliary restraining belt 11 c comprises the belt11 and the fastening member 11 d attached to both ends of the belt 11.

In FIG. 21, the second auxiliary restraining belts 11 c are attached tothe installation fixtures 4 e that are provided near the folding section4 h in the outside surface of the outer pouch side surface section 4 g.Here, the second auxiliary restraining belts 11 c can be attached to theinstallation fixtures 4 e that are provided on the edge section of theouter pouch side surface section 4 g.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present invention will be explained usingFIG. 4 to FIG. 12, FIG. 15, and FIG. 16. The seat belt auxiliary devicein the second embodiment of the present invention is a 2-point seat beltin an airplane seat and the like, and is used together with a seat beltthat is attached/detached in the center position of the stomach area ofa crewmember or passenger.

As shovel in FIG. 15, in the case of an airplane seat belt, the tongue17 and the buckle 19 that are respectively attached to the free ends oftwo seat belt waist sections 1 a are attached/detached in the centerposition of the stomach area of a crewmember or passenger. The seatshown in FIG. 15 comprises armrests 20.

As shown in FIG. 15, the seat belt auxiliary device comprises a bodyrestraining fixture 4 and a restraining belt 11 a. The body restrainingfixture 4 can be fastened the body of a child from at least the head tothe waist. The restraining belt 11 a can be attached/detached to/fromthe body restraining fixture 4 on one end, and a fixation member 18 isprovided for an airplane seat belt on the other end. The insert tongue17 and receiving buckle 19 comprising the attachment/detachmentmechanism of the seat belt fit together with the fixation member 18provided in between. The fixation member 18 does not interfere with theoperation and function of the seat belt attachment/detachment mechanism,so the tongue 17 and buckle 19 can be attached/detached and securely fittogether. The seat belt in the second embodiment has almost the sameoperation method and function of the attachment/detachment mechanism inthe first embodiment, although the size of the attachment/detachmentmechanism is a little larger than that in the first embodiment. Thestructure of the seat belt auxiliary device in the second embodiment isthe same as that explained in (A) to (G) and (I) to (K) of the firstembodiment. To summarize the structure of the seat belt auxiliary devicein the second embodiment, the basic structure comprising: onerestraining belt 11 a connecting to the seat belt attachment/detachmentmechanism on one end so that it can be attached/detached in the centerposition of the stomach area of a crewmember or passenger; and a bodyrestraining fixture 4 that is provided on the other end of therestraining belt 11 a, and when necessary, it further comprises a secondauxiliary restraining belt 11 c.

As shown in FIG. 15, when using the seat belt auxiliary device in thesecond embodiment, the restraining belt 11 a is attached to theinstallation fastener 4 e of the body restraining fixture by a fasteningmember 11 d.

As shown in FIG. 16, the fixation member 18 that is provided on one endof the restraining belt 11 a is used in the form between the inserttongue 17 and receiving buckle 19 in the seat belt attachment/detachmentmechanism. As described above in (F) in the first embodiment the tongueinsert piece 17 b is inserted into the fixation member 18 from theopening surface of the fixation member 18. When doing this, the tonguegrip section 17 a is stopped by the tongue receiving section 18 b, sothat only the tongue insert piece 17 b penetrates through thethrough-hole 18 a provided in the surface on the opposite side from theopening surface. Also, the tongue insert piece 17 b is inserted into thereceiving hole 19 a that provided in the seat belt buckle 19 and isconnected to the buckle 19.

As shown in FIG. 15, the body restraining fixture 4 contacts in thestomach area of the crewmember or passenger who holds the child as closeas possible, and is attached to the seat belt with taking intoconsideration the best means of balancing. Furthermore, the bodyrestraining fixture 4 is used for holding the child with both arms. Thelength of the restraining belt 11 a is adjusted by the length adjustmentfixture 11 e according to the size of the child and the physique of thecrewmember or passenger who holds the child.

There are methods for using the body restraining fixture that a methodof using it with the child laying in a horizontal position, a method ofholding the child in an upright position facing the adult, or a methodof holding the child in an upright position so that the child faces inthe same direction as the crewmember or passenger holding the child,however, the method of using it with the child laying in a horizontalposition is recommended.

As in the first embodiment, in the case of fastening a child alone to aseat belt 1, the restraining belt 11 a is used to fasten the bodyrestraining fixture 4 to the seat, and furthermore, it is recommendedthat a second auxiliary restraining belt 11 c is used to fasten to asuitable place in the vehicle. Here, the second auxiliary restrainingbelt 11 c comprises the belt 11 and the fastening member 11 d that isattached to both ends of the belt 11.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment of the present invention will be explained using FIG.20. The seat belt auxiliary device in the third embodiment of thepresent invention is used with a normal 2-point seat belt.

The seat belt auxiliary device is used with a 2-point seat belt such asthe middle backseat seat belt of a normal automobile, an airplane seatbelt and the like. The seat belt auxiliary device comprises thefastening member 11 d such as a hook on one end, and the restrainingbelt 11 a attached the fixation member 8 on the other end. Here, thefastening member 11 d can be attached/detached at a specified positionin the vehicle such as a hand strap or the headrest support bar 12 bthat supports a headrest 12 a. The insert tongue 2 and receiving buckle3 comprising the attachment/detachment mechanism of the seat belt fastentogether with the fixation member 8 provided in between. The fixationmember 8 does not interfere with the operation and function in theattachment/detachment mechanism of the seat belt 1, so the tongue 2 andbuckle 3 can be attached/detached and securely fit together.

As shown in FIG. 20, when using the seat belt auxiliary device, thefastening member 11 d provided on one end of the restraining belt 11 ais attached to the headrest support bar 12 b, and the fixation member 8provided on the other end is fastened in the form between theattachment/detachment mechanism that is provided in a vehicle asexplained in the first and second embodiments. The explanation of thedetailed method for use of the fixation member 8 will be omitted becauseof the same as explained above. The restraining belt 11 a is not onlyused for securing a child, it can also be used in a seat belt auxiliarydevice for an adult. By using the restraining belt, it is possible touse a 2-point seat belt as a 3-point seat belt. The restraining belt 11a can also comprise a length adjustment function and anexpansion/contraction function.

The body restraining fixture 4 is constructed for taking the shock of achild by the entire body backside mostly on the head and back during acollision. By using together with the outer pouch 4 a that wraps aroundthe body, a back plate 5 that secures at least the head and waist, acushion 6, and a body restraining belt 7, at least the region from headto waist is secured, especially the neck region is stabilized.

The seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention can be usedwithout having to modify the structure of an existing seat belt. Thisseat belt auxiliary device can secure a child and a crewmember orpassenger who holds a child to the seat without interfering theattachment/detachment mechanism of the seat belt.

The seat belt auxiliary device of the present invention cannot be onlyused with a normal 2-point seat belt or 3-point seat belt, it can alsobe used with various kinds of seat belts such as a seat belt having thestructure that is attached/detached in the center position of thestomach area of a crewmember or passenger, for example, a seat belt usedin an airplane.

In a 3-point seat belt for an automobile, the belts are wound up duringa collision. By using the body restraining fixture of the presentinvention, it is possible to prevent the winding force directly fromacting on the child.

The directions that the seat belts are wound up are shown in FIG. 3. Theseat belt waist section 1 a and the seat belt chest section 1 b arewound up in the directions indicated by the respective arrows 16.

As shown in FIG. 3 the crewmember or passenger sits in the seat 12 andholds a child 15 on his/her lap. A headrest 12 a comes in contact withthe area behind the head of the crewmember or passenger 14. The bodyrestraining fixture 4 that is wrapped around the child 15 is secured bythe restraining belt 11 a, auxiliary restraining belt 11 b , and secondauxiliary restraining belt 11 c . The fixation member 8 on therestraining belt 11 a is fastened to the buckle 3 and the fasteningmember 11 d of the restraining belt 11 a is attached to the installationfixture 4 e that is provided on the edge of the side surface section 4 gof the body restraining fixture. The fixation member 9 on the auxiliaryrestraining belt 11 b is fastened to a position on the seat belt waistsection 1 a that is on the opposite side to the waist of the crewmemberor passenger 14 from the fixation member 8, and the fastening member 11d of the auxiliary restraining belt 11 b is attached to the installationfixture 4 e that is provided on the edge of the side surface section 4 gof the body restraining fixture. One fastening member 11 d on the secondauxiliary restraining belt 11 c is fastened to the handle 13 that isattached to the seat in front, and the other fastening member 11 d onthe second auxiliary restraining belt 11 c is attached to theinstallation fixture 4 e that is provided near the folding section 4 hon the side surface section 4 g of the body restraining fixture.

Here, by attaching the other fastening member 11 d on the secondauxiliary restraining belt 1 c to the installation fixture 4 e on theedge section of the side surface section 4 g of the body restrainingfixture, the body restraining fixture 4 hangs down at the edge sectionin the front of the child 15. Therefore, when a strong momentum forceacts on the child 15, the body restraining fixture 4 supports the child15 from the backside.

As shown in FIG. 3, instead of fastening the fastening member 11 d onthe second auxiliary restraining belt 11 c that is not attached to thebody restraining belt 4 to the handle 13, as shown in FIG. 18, it can befasten to the headrest support bar 12 b that supports the headrest 12 aof the seat in front. In this case, the fastening member 11 d on thesecond auxiliary restraining belt 11 c that is not fastened to theheadrest support bar 12 b can also be attached to the installationfixture 4 e on the edge of the side surface section 4 g of the bodyrestraining fixture.

The attachment/detachment of the seat belt auxiliary device of thepresent invention can be performed very easily. By pressing the lockrelease button 3 a as shown in FIG. 1, the fixation member 8 becomesseparated with the tongue 2 from the buckle 3. The fixation member 9 isseparated from the seat belt by pulling out the fastening piece 10.

By forming the insert pin 10 b of the fastening piece 10 as a tapershape from the base section jointed with the grip section 10 a to thetip end, the fastening piece 10 can be pulled out easily from the loop 9e. Also, by turning the fastening piece 10 inside the loop 9 e withholding the grip section 10 a, the seat belt 1 that is tightened aroundthe insert pin 10 b becomes loose, and the fastening piece 10 can beremoved easily from the loop 9 e. By having the width of the gripsection 10 a exceed that of the insert pin 10 b, the fastening piece 10can be rotated with a small force.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the body restraining fixture 4 is secured attwo points by the restraining belt 11 a and the auxiliary restrainingbelt 11 b , an equivalent effect of securing a seat with a seat belt ina vehicle is expected. As shown in FIG. 3, to further connect the bodyrestraining fixture 4 to a suitable place in the vehicle by a secondauxiliary restraining belt 11 c and to secure the body restrainingfixture 4 at three points or more, the body restraining fixture 4 ismore secured. By using a second auxiliary restraining belt 11 c, theweight of the child on the crewmember or passenger holding the child isalleviated, and it is possible to keep the child in a comfortableposition as if reclining the backrest of a reclining seat, so the usefor a long period of time is also comfortable.

As shown in FIG. 20, the restraining belt 11 a and auxiliary restrainingbelt 11 b can be used for securing a crewmember or passenger to a seat.

1. A seat belt auxiliary device for a seat belt that is installed insaid seat belt by connecting together a tongue that is installed in theseat belt and has a grip section and a tongue insert piece, and a bucklethat has a receiving hole into which the tongue insert piece of saidtongue is inserted, comprising: it first belt; a first fixation memberthat is attached to one end of said first belt and is box shaped withsaid tongue side open, has a first through-hole passed through saidtongue insert piece in the bottom surface, and has a receiving sectionthat the grip section of said tongue is locked in said tongue side; anda first fastening member that is attached to the other end of said firstbelt; said first fixation member is the state of being attached betweensaid buckle and said tongue and the tongue insert piece of said tongueis passed through said first through-hole and inserted into thereceiving hole of said buckle; and said tongue and said buckle areconnected together when said grip section is locked in said receivingsection.
 2. The scat belt auxiliary device as of claim 1, furthercomprising a body restraining fixture that is connected to said firstbelt and is attached to a child; wherein said first fastening member canbe attached to said body restraining fixture; said body restrainingfixture comprises an outer pouch bottom surface section and outer pouchside surface sections that are attached on both sides of said outerpouch bottom surface section having holes through which the child's armsare passed; and said outer pouch bottom surface section comprises a hardplate and a cushion.
 3. The seat belt auxiliary device of claim 2wherein said body restraining fixture comprises: two shoulderrestraining belts having shoulder restraining belt insert pieces on thefree ends, and a waist restraining belt having locking mechanisms toconnect to said shoulder restraining belt insert pieces withattachable/detachable on the free ends.
 4. A seat belt auxiliary devicefor a seat belt, comprising: a second belt; a second fixation memberthat attaches to one end of said second belt; and a second fasteningmember that attaches to the other end of said second belt; wherein saidsecond fixation member comprises: a flat plate in which a secondthrough-hole that can be passed through in the state of said seat beltbeing folded is provided, and a fastening piece that is a differentobject from said flat plate is connected to said flat plate and that islonger than the opening length in the opening section of said secondthrough-hole; and said second fastening member is passed through saidsecond through-hole in the state of said seat belt being folded and isfastened in said seat belt by inserting said fastening piece in the loopthat is formed by the folded section and fastening said fastening piecein said loop by pulling said seat belt.
 5. (canceled)
 6. The seat beltauxiliary device as of claim 4, further comprising a body restrainingfixture that is connected to said second belt and is attached to achild; wherein said second fastening member can be attached to said bodyrestraining fixture; said body restraining fixture comprises an outerpouch bottom surface section and outer pouch side surface sections thatare attached on both sides of said outer pouch bottom surface sectionhaving holes through which the child's arms are passed; and said outerpouch bottom surface section comprises a hard plate and a cushion.